My wife, Ivy Hart, is about to give birth to the baby she conceived with Toby Clayton, her first love. Her parents hire ten bodyguards to stand guard outside the delivery room.

Cora Norris, Ivy's mother, takes Ivy's hand and remarks, "Don't worry, Ivy. We'll make sure he can't get within two feet of you! Your dad is standing guard outside with the bodyguards. If he dares to stop you from having the baby, we'll report him to the police!"

Ivy nods, her complexion pale, but she instinctively looks toward the door anyway. She doesn't see why I can't be more understanding of her. All she wants to do is help Toby have a child to carry on his family name.

The birth proceeds without me showing up to cause a scene.

She smiles gladly when she sees the crying baby in the nurse's arms. She thinks to herself that if I visit her tomorrow, she is willing to forget all about our previous fights. She is even willing to let me be the baby's father.

What she doesn't know is that I've already submitted my application to the Alliance of Nations. In seven days, I will be leaving the country to become a field doctor for the Frontline Medical Corp, a humanitarian organization.

I won't be coming back ever again.

On the day my wife, Ivy Hart, moved back into the house after giving birth, I had just finished handing over the last of my work at Centrum Hospital.

As soon as I got to the door, the pleasant laughter and blissful conversation spilled out inside the house.

"What a lovely baby he is, and look at those large eyes of his! He inherited all of his dad's best qualities," Cora Norris, my mother-in-law, remarked as she played with the baby in her arms.

Toby Clayton emerged from the kitchen with a bowl of piping hot chicken soup.

"I made the soup myself. You're still weak from having the baby, so you need to have a lot of nourishing food," he said before sitting down beside Ivy and feeding her.

They looked like the picture-perfect family.

Fred Hart, Ivy's father, was grinning widely as he shook a baby rattle. "He's a charming baby, alright, just like his father. Thank goodness the father isn't Abel, that boring stick-in-the-mud. It'd be dreadfully worrisome to have a doctor for a father."

My hand tightened around the doorknob.

I recalled the first time I met Fred. He'd patted me on the shoulder and said that being a doctor was a good thing. It was a great honor for the family that one among their ranks was someone who saved lives for a living.

He even spoke of how he had worked as a doctor in the past. He only ended up retiring early because of an incident at the hospital that left his hand permanently injured. But now, he was claiming that a doctor wasn't worthy of having a wife and a son.

I'd left for a year to hone my medical training, but that was enough time for me to no longer be welcome in the family.

I lowered my head and pursed my lips bitterly.

Ivy and I had been married for three years. She said she didn't want to have children. I knew how dangerous childbirth was for a woman, so I didn't insist on having one, either.

I could still recall the way she cried her eyes out on the day I went abroad for further training. She said she couldn't bear to part with me.

Throughout my year abroad, we called each other every day and shared about our daily lives. Even my colleagues teased us for behaving like a pair of infatuated lovers, even though we had already been married for several years.

A month ago, I finally managed to get a leave of absence approved so I could head home. Even the eight-hour flight didn't tire me out. However, the moment I rushed home, I was greeted by the sight of a pregnant Ivy, and standing beside her was Toby, her first love.

I was pulled out of my thoughts by the sound of Toby's voice.

"When did you get back, Abe? Why are you standing in the doorway instead of coming in?"

Upon hearing his words, everyone else in the house turned toward me.

Fred frowned deeply when he saw the resignation letter I was holding.

"Why did I ever choose to leave my daughter in the care of a guy like you anyway? What a rotten decision that was. You've resigned, huh? What's this? Are you expecting us to support you financially? What kind of husband are you?"

Cora also began berating me. "You resigned? Being a doctor means you're set for life! What else can you do if you can't even hold down a decent job?

"Ivy is in no condition to work right now. You'll need money to provide for her and the baby. Are all three of you supposed to just starve to death because you refuse to work?"

I wanted to laugh.

"Whoever's wife and child that is, that's the person who needs to be providing for them," I replied.

Ivy couldn't take it anymore. Eyes red, she shrieked at me, "What did you say, Abel? Do you have no sense of responsibility at all?"

Seemingly overwhelmed by her agitation, she had a coughing fit before she continued, "I might've died if Toby hadn't saved me from the car accident three years ago.

"His parents are both gone, and he's been diagnosed with end-stage cancer. Soon, there might not be anyone left in this world who'd remember him.

"Why must you insist on being so cruel toward him? And is that how you think of me—that I'm some depraved woman who'd cheat on you?"

Toby had a look of concern as he helped her calm down from her coughing spell. Then, he turned to me and said, "Go easy on your words, Abe. I know it's all my fault. I promise I won't ever show up to disrupt your lives ever again, so please don't let me affect your relationship with her, okay?"

It was obvious that Ivy, Toby, Cora, and Fred were all on the same side, and that made things even more laughable to me.

I now knew who was truly part of the family.

Just then, Ivy abruptly said, "There's a limit to my patience, Abel! If you dare to start targeting Toby for no reason ever again, you can forget about coming back to this house!

"If you still want to stay married to me, then stop causing trouble. We're having a sip and see party for the baby next week. I'm willing to announce to all our friends and family that you're the baby's father."

Next week, she said?

I glanced at the baby fast asleep in the carrier. I was heading abroad next week. However, I didn't mind giving them an unforgettable surprise before I left.

Keeping my expression neutral, I nodded and said, "Fine."

Once I finished speaking, I didn't bother sticking around to see their reaction. I went straight to the bedroom and packed my things. Since I'd decided to leave for good, I didn't want to leave any trace of myself behind.

I was folding my clothes when the sound of cheerful conversation going on in the living room seeped in beneath the door anyway, making me pause.

"Toby, I plan on giving this baby your last name. That way, even though he addresses someone else as his father, he'll still remember that you're his real father."

Even though I couldn't see it, I could still envision the affectionate look on Ivy's face as she said that. Nevertheless, she had long since shattered my heart into pieces.

All of a sudden, I recalled the scene of my arrival home last month. I'd come home bearing the souvenirs I'd bought specifically for Ivy. However, when I got to the front door, I was greeted by the sight of Ivy and Toby hand-in-hand as they returned from a walk.

Ivy looked alarmed, but Toby simply eyed me suspiciously before asking if I'd come to the wrong house.

I remained silent, my eyes fixed on Ivy's swollen belly. I'd been away for 11 months, but my wife was pregnant. There was no way for me to trick myself into believing the baby could be mine.

At last, a panicked Ivy stepped in front of Toby and introduced me, "This is my husband, Abel Stone."

I'd assumed that, upon hearing that, Toby would rein himself in a little. However, he continued acting like the man of the house and invited me in to take a seat.

As I walked past him, he murmured at a volume only the two of us could hear, "Make yourself at home. I'll treat you like a family member. After all, your wife is pregnant with my baby."

All the blood rushed to my head. I couldn't hold myself back any longer, so I punched him right in the face. I'd lost all sense of reason. The yearning I'd been feeling for Ivy for the past 11 months instantly turned into rage.

If I had had a blade on me at the time, I might've killed them both.

The neighbors heard the commotion and called the police. We were all taken down to the police station, but since it was a family matter, the police didn't feel right to intervene. They had us sent home instead.

As soon as we got back, Fred and Cora began rebuking me without even figuring out what happened first. They lashed out at me for causing such a scene the moment I returned and making the family a laughingstock in front of all the neighbors.

They also said all my years of education had gone down the drain, for I'd chosen to attack someone. They even swore they'd make me face the consequences if anything untoward happened.

It was then that I realized they knew about Ivy and Toby all along, and they even gave the two their full support. In just under a year, Toby had become the ideal son-in-law to them.

I was the only one who was still kept in the dark.

At the time, my heart was filled with sorrow and bitterness. I was deeply hurt. However, Ivy simply approached me hesitantly and took my hand in an attempt to reason with me.

"I never thought about betraying you. Toby is sick. His doctor says he only has about six months to live. I can't bear to see him die without even having someone to carry on his family name.

"I considered discussing it with you first, but you were abroad. I was afraid you'd get too worried about it. I didn't want to affect your training, so I figured I'd tell you about it once you got back. As long as you're fine with it, we can raise the child together, okay?"

Raising a child was a monumental task, but she made it sound like a regular grocery run.

…

I'd stuffed my last article of clothing into my suitcase when Cora came into the bedroom. When she saw the suitcase at my feet, she gave me an approving look, as if conveying that I'd finally acted appropriately for once.

"Since you've been away the whole time, I allowed Toby to stay in your room. The study has been turned into the baby's room as well, so you'll have to settle for the living room tonight. If not, you can find yourself a hotel room instead."

I was too exhausted and had no energy to head off to a hotel. Thus, I nodded and decided to sleep on the living room couch for the night.

However, late at night, the sound of a baby crying kept coming from the bedroom. As I flipped over and tried to put on my earplugs, I heard Ivy grumbling, "Hurry up and coax the baby! He's going to keep crying otherwise."

"Aren't you my baby? All I need to do is keep you happy. It's fine to let the baby cry. It helps his lungs develop."

Ivy chuckled and called Toby cheesy. That was soon followed by the sound of movements on the bed.

I pulled the blanket over my head, doing my best to ignore those unseemly sounds. However, when I closed my eyes, the memory of the first time Ivy confessed her feelings to me appeared in my head.

She was such a sweet and wonderful person. She had been truly devoted to me back then, but alas, that side of her no longer belonged to me.

I had a fitful sleep that night. At dawn the next morning, I left the house with my suitcase in tow.

First, I went to the county clerk's office to finalize my paperwork before I left the country. As I'd already completed all the necessary applications beforehand, the process went smoothly. The clerk handling my paperwork didn't ask much, either.

Just as I was about to leave, the clerk stopped me and passed me a piece of candy.

"I hope all your wishes come true," she said.

I flashed her a grateful smile before heading off to find a hotel. After setting down my suitcase, I headed off to grab a bite to eat.

As luck would have it, I ended up running into Ivy and Toby. Her parents and her baby were also with them.

Toby was dressed in an expensive, bespoke Armani suit. He looked like he was in the pink of health, not at all like someone who was on the verge of dying.

"I spotted you from a distance, Abe, but Ivy said there was no way you'd be here," Toby called out.

His gaze fell on the recruitment flyer I was holding. Chuckling, he remarked, "Oh, are you out looking for a job, Abe? But you know, with how scrawny you are, don't you think you're just making things hard for yourself by getting a job at a construction site?"

I said nothing. A young woman had passed me the recruitment flyer just now. She'd been standing out in the street in the middle of winter, so I took one from her out of pity.

Seeing that I was simply remaining silent while still gripping the flyer, Toby began smiling even more arrogantly.

"You should've told me you're looking for a job. Perhaps I might be able to help. After all, we're family now. If you do well for yourself, it means I can rest easy knowing that Ivy will have someone who can look after her for the rest of her life."

My silence seemed to come across as a tacit admission.

Ivy had seemed doubtful all along, but now, her expression immediately hardened. Her brows furrowed as she eyed me in contempt.

"What's the point of trying to help him? He's the one who insisted on resigning from the great job he had as a doctor. Even if he ends up starving to death on the street now, he doesn't deserve any sympathy from anyone else!" she snapped.

"You really have no sense of responsibility at all, Abel! Do you seriously think you can force me to abandon the baby by doing this?"

As I looked at her familiar face, it suddenly seemed completely foreign to me.

I could recall an incident that occurred when we were newly married. My position at the hospital had been affected by the office politics within the hospital. At that time, I was strongly considering resigning and switching to a new career.

After hearing that, Ivy hugged me and patted me consolingly. She then gently said, "Since we are married, we are of one mind. I'll support you no matter what you choose to do.

"So what if you resign? It's not a big deal. I have faith that someone as brilliant as you will always find a chance to shine. I'll always be by your side."

Alas, the woman who claimed she would always be by my side was now allowing another man to humiliate me. She'd forgotten the things she once said to me. She also seemed to have forgotten her once ardent love for me.

Even Fred and Cora were shaking their heads disapprovingly, as if I were a huge disappointment to them.

"I was such a blind fool back then. I can't believe I trusted you to take care of my daughter for the rest of her life!"

"Thank goodness the two of us are still around. If we weren't, we would never have known just how badly you'd mistreat her!"

The more they spoke, the more exaggerated their claims became. Even the passersby began eyeing us curiously.

My hands balled into fists. Just as I was about to speak, Toby abruptly approached me and said, "We were just about to take a family portrait. Why don't you join us, Abe? After all, I still have to trouble you to look after Ivy and my son on my behalf in the future."

Ivy immediately chimed in with a derisive snort, saying, "Look at him! He's dressed like a beggar. He'll only be making the rest of us look bad if he joins us."

She turned around and headed off toward the photography studio, not forgetting to urge Toby to keep up.

"Well, in that case, we'll get going now. We won't keep you from your job search any longer," Toby said as he gave me a sarcastic pat on the back.

As I watched him leave, I didn't feel any stir of emotion at all.

In everyone else's eyes, they looked like a loving, happy family.

Since this was what Ivy wanted, what was the harm in letting go and giving them my blessing?